Phitsanulok locals fear slow poisoning from mine

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Locals fear slow poisoning from mine
Pratch Rujivanarom
The Nation



Central north residents say a new mine may destroy mango farms, pollute water

BANGKOK: -- THERE have been claims that residents in Noen Maprang district in Phitsanulok will slowly breathe in toxins such as heavy metal cyanide, which will contaminate their food basket if a gold mine is allowed to operate there.

Last month the Primary Industries and Mines Department announced there would be public hearings for a new round of gold exploration in 12 provinces including Phitsanulok.

Noen Maprang residents fear the new Mineral Act will allow a gold mine to operate there. Located in the southwest corner of the province, the district is an agricultural base at the foothill of Phetchabun Mountain.

This area is well known for barracuda mango production, which could have a total worth of more than Bt2.5 billion a year, while the area has been increasingly acknowledged by tourists for its beautiful karst topography.

But given it is located just north of the Chatree gold mine in Phichit, the district has been earmarked for gold exploration.

Sanit Changkanak, head of the Quality Export Mango Group in Noen Maprang, is concerned the district's economy and, more importantly, the quality of people's lives is in danger if a gold mine is set up there.

"We have seen what gold mines bring from existing gold mines - the nearby Chatree mine in Phichit and [one] in Loei," Sanit said. "We don't want our home to be poisoned by the pollution from a gold mine.

"It will not only destroy the quality of our mango crop but also harm people's health."

Most of the arable land in the district is used for farming and nearly half of the farms have barracuda mango orchards, Sanit said.

He said there was 65,881 rai (10,540 hectares) of quality barracuda mango orchards in Noen Maprang - with the fruit sold in Japan, Taiwan, China and Europe.

"I have many relatives who live near the gold mine in Phichit. I know that heavy metals from the mine contaminated the land and water nearby and made food produced from land contaminated with deadly heavy metals. People there cannot eat or drink the water there anymore," he said.

"Imagine if the same thing happens here. The mangoes cannot be sold and furthermore the people here will slowly die from the food we consume and the water we drink."

The former kamnan of Tambon Wangyang, Mongkol Kromthana, revealed that it was not a transnational conglomerate's first try to open a gold mine in the area.

By 2006 Akara Mining and related companies had explored 237,766 rai in the district for gold and silver.

"The gold exploration area and the proposal area to open the gold mine is no more than five kilometres from the community," Mongkol said. "And, the exploration area is on the head of the Hok Prani stream, which is the main source of water for around 1,600 residents in the tambon."

He showed The Nation the area earmarked for exploration. It is currently a cornfield and a mango orchard. There is a small reservoir nearby, the headwater of the Hok Prani stream.

He said these farming areas and the forestland on the mountain behind it, which is in the Thung Salaeng Luang National Park, were designated for the gold mine.

"The people here have a mixed opinion about the gold mine. Some want the gold mine to open so they can sell their land for a high price," he said. "But for me and many of the locals, we want to preserve this way of life. We want Noen Maprang to still be a food basket for the people."

Arom Khamjing, leader of the anti-mine group in Noen Maprang, said locals would campaign against the proposed mine on Saturday.

Tiwa Kham-on, leader of the anti-mine movement in Chantaburi, said his group was ready to lead the movement in Bangkok and trying to inform locals about the dangers.

The group also has a presence in Rayong and Sa Kaew.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Locals-fear-slow-poisoning-from-mine-30270188.html


-- The Nation 2015-10-05

[BSJ]

This is were I live! Wang Plong depends on the water coming off the hills in the rainy season. From what we have seen and heard from Phi Chit the presence of a mine will definitely led to problems in the future.

[chrisrazz]

This is were I live! Wang Plong depends on the water coming off the hills in the rainy season. From what we have seen and heard from Phi Chit the presence of a mine will definitely led to problems in the future.

If the experiences of the villages nearby the Wang Saphung gold mine in Loie are anything to go by, it's time to move house. There's plenty on Thai Visa about this case.

[bazza40]

Gold miners are always looking for ways to cut their costs. The usual solution is to dilute cyanide waste down to the discharge level permitted by the local authorities. While cyanide can be neutralised with thiosulphate, it's a much more expensive treatment process.

I dream of the day when the directors of companies which discharge cyanide into the environment are required to drink the diluted waste they are generating.